AIBU to think a UK psychiatrist shouldn't think that magic spells cause mental illness?

[Februarystars23]

Colleague from Nigeria told me that he believes some mental illness is caused by spells and evil spirit possession and he's seen exorcism work.

He is also incredibly homophobic and thinks it should be illegal.

AIBU to have concerns that this man is working with very ill people who are detained under the mental health act?

Or am I just racist or culturally insensitive?

This is quite a common belief in some cultures.

Deliverance, exorcism, witchcraft, juju - these are things that come up in safeguarding work and professionals attend courses about how to address situations where these beliefs cause safeguarding issues.

The question is whether you think his beliefs are affecting his work and causing harm to people.

I can't see how being a psychiatrist is compatible with these kinds of beliefs really, so I think you should report any concerns that you might have.

Please, please report him. I was given a horrible, misogynist lecture once by a similar sounding man at a CMHT when seeking help for my very, very unwell husband.

I wasn’t able to report him at the time. My husband also would not go back to the service. It’s incredibly abusive to unwell people and their families.

Its not enough to argue that this is his private belief. He won’t be able to properly diagnose or treat people with schizophrenia or dissociation etc if he thinks they are possessed by an evil spirit FFS.

It’s nothing like having an opinion on gay marriage, this man’s beliefs conflict with widely accepted definitions of mental illness.

Please, please report him.

To whom? For what?

Definitely report. I didn't feel I had a voice when I encountered someone who used their psychiatrist position as a power play.

The very first psychiatrist I ever met at 15, pointed out that I couldn't be depressed as what had I to be depressed about at 15 and ignored other major symptoms and that I just needed to go to mass and sit near the front. Wtf. The GP had tried their best to manage things without referring to Psych (turns out they knew how bad she was but were waiting for her to get enough complaints)

I should also go and volunteer on the missions to see people who really had something to be sad about. I have no interest in religion.

She was a white Irish woman who intended to save all the African babies This was in 1989.

There was no teenage services locally at the time so she put me on a geriatric ward and I was denied proper treatment. I still have nightmares about it over 30 years later. ECT should never be a threat for anyone especially not from a psychiatrist.

My mother moved house just so I could be in a different catchment area after those first encounters. I was treated a lot better after that but was still in adult services as an under 18.

Cue 3 years later me being diagnosed with Schizophrenia and major depressive disorder as soon as I hit adult services in age terms.

To his manager, because his beliefs (which it sounds like he is very vocal about, at least to his colleages) are not compatible with his chosen profession, in which he is responsible for the care of a number of very vulnerable people.

He is working as a psychiatrist which, as a profession, is about using a medical/ social model of care to treat mental illness.

That profession is not compatible with a belief that mental illness is caused by witchcraft/ magic/ demons, so his manager needs to be aware and take any necessary action to ensure he is practising safely or make a decison about whether he should be practising psychiatry at all.

If he only voiced his beliefs in front of you in all he has to do is deny everything . I'm not saying you're in the wrong but I would tread carefully if I were you . This could turn ugly.

Sorry ^ posted on the wrong thread!

I'm actually a different poster the colleague I'm talking about wasn't a psychiatrist nor a registered professional. I'm actually shocked a very educated person believes wholeheartedly in JuJu and black magic . It doesn't bother me having personal beliefs it depends if they were talking about JuJu to patients who are already psychotic as some can already have delusional beliefs etc.

Not sure about the homophobia bit as that is wrong.

But his thinking is quite the norm in some circles. The only way it would be an issue is if his beliefs interfered with his work.

People in the pass have called me transphobic simply because I refuse to have she/her under my signature title. I mean why do I have to do that?! My name is unisex which goes in my favour.

It's a cultural thing it's still very much believed in many parts of Nigeria, my partner being one of them although I think he's listened to my reasoning and is on the fence now 😅 . I personally do not find it very much different from religious people being around the vulnerable also same laws apply in your reasoning - make believe/ fantasy ✌️.... However - if his job role involves diagnosing this is v concerning. Of it is a support work/Carer type job and he's adhering to guidelines shouldn't be an issue unless his work practice is out of line we cannot tell people what to believe and like I said it's cultural x

ZOMBIE

Why on earth did you resurrect this old post?